Cash Included

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Full Field For Kentucky Oaks 133

Led by 5-2 morning line favorite Rags to Riches, who drew post 11, Friday’s 133rd Kentucky Oaks drew a full field of 14 when entries were taken at the Churchill Downs’ Racing Office Tuesday morning.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

High Again Gears Up

Zayat Stables' High Again worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 under jockey Larry Melancon after the renovation break Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs. The move was the 12th-fastest of 36 at the distance over a track labeled as "fast."

Monday, April 23, 2007

Sealy Hill Gets Feel For Churchill Downs Track; Autobahn Girl Works

Melnyk Racing Stables’ Sealy Hill made her first venture over the main track at Churchill Downs Monday morning, galloping a mile and a half under Julia Brimo. The Point Given filly had vanned over from Keeneland Sunday morning.

Mac McBride
West Coast

Monday, April 23, 2007

Take 10 -- Pre-Oak(s) Chestnuts

Some little chestnuts (sounds better than acorns) en route to that big Oak(s):

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Rags to Riches Works in Company with Circular Quay

AUTOBAHN GIRL/SILVER KNOCKERS - The Live Oak Plantation's Autobahn Girl and Elk Manor Farms and James Moran's Silver Knockers each gallo

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Fantasy Winner High Heels Sharp In Work at Churchill Downs

Anita Ebert's High Heels, the runaway winner of the Fantasy (GII) in her most recent start, tuned up for her Oaks engagement by working five furlongs over a "fast" track in 1:00 under jockey Joe Johnson before the renovation break Saturday morning at Churchill Downs.

Dave Gutfreund
International

Friday, April 20, 2007

Rags to Riches is no sure thing

While I have may have been guilty a few weeks ago in conceding the Kentucky Oaks to Rags to Riches, what has transpired since has given me cause to have a 're-think'.

Mac McBride
West Coast

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Take 7 -- Could "Tough" Have the Oaks Stuff?

So Rags to Riches you know about.

Saturday, April 07, 2007

High Heels Dances to Fantasy Victory

High Heels, bred and owned by Anita Ebert, and trained by Gary "(Red Dog" Hartlage, blew past Cotton Blossom, the 1-2 favorite, in mid-stretch, and drew clear for a stunning six and three-quarter-length victory in the $250,000 Fantasy Stakes before a crowd of 12,201 Friday afternoon at Oaklawn Park.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Fantasy Draws Fillies From Across The Country

The Grade Two Fantasy Stakes drew Tuesday with a field of eight 3-year-old distaffers, with shippers coming from all over the country to take on the locals.  Two of the more accomplished fillies, Cash Included and Cotton Blossom, figure to vie for favoritism in Friday’s feature, which kicks off Oaklawn’s Racing Festival of the South.

Mac McBride
West Coast

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Take 6 -- Some will and some won't

So for better or worse --- and obviously her people will take the better on that one – Rags to Riches will not be seen in her racing armor between now and May 4, when she will come out of the big paddock at Churchill Downs the likely favorite in the 133rd Kentucky Oaks.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Rags to Riches Could Face Colts After Santa Anita Oaks Romp

Rags to Riches overwhelmed her competition in Sunday’s running of the Grade One, $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks, leaving her connections, owners Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith and trainer Todd Pletcher to contemplate if she should take on the colts in her next start.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Rags to Riches Prohibitive Favorite in Santa Anita Oaks

Rags to Riches, already a Grade One winner at this track, will look to build on her success in last month’s Las Virgenes when she faces many of the same foes in the Santa Anita Oaks (GI) Sunday.

Mac McBride
West Coast

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Take 3 -- Duckin' the "Big Mare"

So the racing office staff is out shaking trees on the backstretch at Santa Anita hoping that a spare 3-year-old filly or two might fall out. They need a couple of extra for next Sunday’s Grade I Santa Anita Oaks at a mile and one sixteenth.